Structural build-up model for three-dimensional concrete printing based on kinetics theory

Abstract

The thixotropic structural build-up is crucial in extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) concrete printing. This paper uses a theoretical model to predict the evolution of static and dynamic yield stress for printed concrete. The model employs a structural kinetics framework to create a time-independent constitutive link between shear stress and shear rate. The model considers flocculation, deflocculation, and chemical hydration to anticipate structural buildability. The reversible and irreversible contributions that occur throughout the build-up, breakdown, and hydration are defined based on the proposed structural parameters. Additionally, detailed parametric studies are conducted to evaluate the impact of model parameters. It is revealed that the proposed model is in good agreement with the experimental results, and it effectively characterizes the structural build-up of 3D printable concrete.